GET TO KNOW YOUR OILS
Opopanax
Commiphora erythraea
Chemotype: alpha-santalene / cis-alpha-bisabolene / trans-beta-ocimene type
- PLANT PART
- resin
- EXTRACTION
- steam distillation
- AROMA NOTE
- base
LEARN AS YOU COMPARE
What’s inside this oil?
Constituents are the natural chemicals that give an oil its character. See the main ones, learn what they do, and explore differences between batches.
Meet the main constituents, then select one to see what makes it interesting.
FOLLOW YOUR SENSES
Aroma & character
A closer look at this oil's scent, strength, and staying power.
- Aroma intensity
- 85 / 100
- Note layer
- base
If you like this scent, explore
A LITTLE CARE GOES A LONG WAY
Using it thoughtfully
Read the full safety context before bringing this oil into your routine.
- Cited dermal maximum · leave-on
- 0.11%
- Phototoxicity
- Not flagged in this profile
- Oxidation risk
- medium
A cited maximum is a limit, not a suggested dilution. Missing restrictions do not establish safety.
No phototoxic restriction was identified for steam-distilled opopanax oil in the consulted public sources.
Contraindications & cautions
- majorPublic IFRA opopanax restriction material limits Category 5A/5B/5C/5D leave-on use to 0.11% because opopanax preparations are recognized sensitizers.
Explore measured chemistry from supplier batches
A supplier report describes a particular sample. Open this workspace to investigate measured constituents and their original documents.
THE SCIENCE BEHIND THE SCENT
Inside the oil
An oil's character comes from its natural chemical composition. Explore each constituent to understand the connections.
About this composition
This record is anchored to a directly readable 2023 Lotus Garden Botanicals GC-MS certificate for steam-distilled sweet myrrh / opopanax from Kenya, explicitly identified as Commiphora erythraea, and cross-checked against a Madar specification sheet for the same botanical identity and resin origin. The cited chromatogram is unusual but internally coherent: it is led by alpha-santalene, cis-alpha-bisabolene, and trans-beta-ocimene, with supporting trans-alpha-bergamotene, alpha-teresantalic acid, germacrene D, beta-bisabolene, and only trace curzerene/furanoeudesma-1,3-diene. Public IFRA opopanax restriction material gives a 0.11% leave-on ceiling for Category 5A style applications.
| Constituent | Typical amount | Reported range | Chemical family | Source |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| alpha-Santalene | 20.31% | 20.31–20.31% | sesquiterpene hydrocarbon | View sourceCertificate of Analysis OPOPONAX OPX1223EO680 https://www.lgbotanicals.com/assets/images/Certificate%20of%20Analysis%20OPOPONAX%20OPX1223EO680.pdf (alpha-Santalene 20.31%) |
| cis-alpha-Bisabolene | 20.3% | 20.3–20.3% | sesquiterpene hydrocarbon | View sourceCertificate of Analysis OPOPONAX OPX1223EO680 https://www.lgbotanicals.com/assets/images/Certificate%20of%20Analysis%20OPOPONAX%20OPX1223EO680.pdf (cis-alpha-Bisabolene 20.30%) |
| trans-beta-Ocimene | 19.09% | 19.09–19.09% | monoterpene hydrocarbon | View sourceCertificate of Analysis OPOPONAX OPX1223EO680 https://www.lgbotanicals.com/assets/images/Certificate%20of%20Analysis%20OPOPONAX%20OPX1223EO680.pdf (trans-beta-Ocimene 19.09%) |
| trans-alpha-Bergamotene | 6.62% | 6.62–6.62% | sesquiterpene hydrocarbon | View sourceCertificate of Analysis OPOPONAX OPX1223EO680 https://www.lgbotanicals.com/assets/images/Certificate%20of%20Analysis%20OPOPONAX%20OPX1223EO680.pdf (trans-alpha-Bergamotene 6.62%) |
| alpha-Teresantalic acid | 4.01% | 4.01–4.01% | sesquiterpenoid acid | View sourceCertificate of Analysis OPOPONAX OPX1223EO680 https://www.lgbotanicals.com/assets/images/Certificate%20of%20Analysis%20OPOPONAX%20OPX1223EO680.pdf (alpha-Teresantalic acid 4.01%) |
| cis-alpha-Bergamotene | 3.07% | 3.07–3.07% | sesquiterpene hydrocarbon | View sourceCertificate of Analysis OPOPONAX OPX1223EO680 https://www.lgbotanicals.com/assets/images/Certificate%20of%20Analysis%20OPOPONAX%20OPX1223EO680.pdf (cis-alpha-Bergamotene 3.07%) |
| beta-Bisabolene | 2.77% | 2.77–2.77% | sesquiterpene hydrocarbon | View sourceCertificate of Analysis OPOPONAX OPX1223EO680 https://www.lgbotanicals.com/assets/images/Certificate%20of%20Analysis%20OPOPONAX%20OPX1223EO680.pdf (beta-Bisabolene 2.77%) |
| Germacrene D | 1.35% | 1.35–1.35% | sesquiterpene hydrocarbon | View sourceCertificate of Analysis OPOPONAX OPX1223EO680 https://www.lgbotanicals.com/assets/images/Certificate%20of%20Analysis%20OPOPONAX%20OPX1223EO680.pdf (Germacrene D 1.35%) |
Profile source: Certificate of Analysis OPOPONAX OPX1223EO680; Madar Corporation Opoponax All docs; IFRA Standard Restriction Opoponax Amendment 49 · https://www.lgbotanicals.com/assets/images/Certificate%20of%20Analysis%20OPOPONAX%20OPX1223EO680.pdf ; https://www.madarcorporation.com/spec-sheets/essential-oil/opoponax/Opoponax%20-%204478105%20All%20docs.pdf ; https://www.perfumersworld.com/documents/Project-Templates/IFRA-Standards/Opoponax.pdf
A TRADITION OF BOTANICAL CURIOSITY
Traditional & reported uses
These uses reflect the profile's reported traditions and literature. They are not established treatment recommendations.
- traditionally used in aromatherapy for grounding, warming, and meditative effects
- reported to support emotional calm, similar to the broader myrrh-resin family
- used in perfumery as a sweet, balsamic base note and fixative in oriental compositions
- traditionally associated with ceremonial and ritual use across Middle Eastern and African traditions
- used in blends intended to promote grounding and sensual warmth
For aromatherapy and wellness use only — not medical advice. Effect statements are traditional/reported associations, not treatment claims. The Synergy Rating scores blend craft, harmony and safety, not medical efficacy. Read the safety framework.
What we're still learning · 3 data gaps
Good decisions start with knowing what is — and isn't — in the evidence.
- Several leading opopanax peaks in the public GC sheet, including cis-alpha-bisabolene and alpha-teresantalic acid, do not expose a convenient open CAS lookup on the cited certificate itself, so those CAS fields remain null rather than guessed.
- Odor intensity 85 is an archive normalization from Madar's 'sweet, balsamic aromatic woody odour' wording and The Good Scents descriptive note about strong heady resinous impact, not a source-native 0-100 lab metric.
- No public source reviewed in this pass published directly measured volatility-rate or tenacity-hour values for steam-distilled opopanax oil.